Lesson One

Simon Sinek's talk on TED is about the people or organizations that inspire others; he argues that success (in any type of field) is achieved by those who are driven by what they believe, what inspires them. The three questions that should be answered whenever one takes on any enterprise are "what", "how" and "why". The most important answer, the one that should be the foundation of your actions, is "why".

In order to implement and use ePortfolios, it is necessary first to understand that a portfolio is a collection of work that can be fashioned in different ways to fulfill specific purposes. This answers the "what". Why does someone create a portfolio? Dr. Barret states that people do portfolios as a way to reflect (metacognition) about what people do, as a means to self-regulate their learning (by planning how to achieve goals, doing and reflecting) so that later on, people can apply what they have found out or learned. A portfolio's core characteristic is that it enriches one's personal development, since its elements are all aimed at acquiring deep learning about oneself, one's own identity.  How does someone create a portfolio? By sharing with others (depending, again, on the purpose) what one does. This is where social networks and ePortfolios intersect: in the sharing. Though their purpose and motivation may differ, both showcase one's identity.

The challenge of engaging students in their own learning process via portfolio, may very well be the biggest obstacle for instructors or teachers, but social networks might be the key to overcome that obstacle and make them eager participants in "conversations about learning".